I've been waiting for this day ever since the Bakerloo Line first came out two years ago. For a while, it looked like this day would never come, but finally, we have recieved the updated Bakerloo Timetable. But not in the way anyone thought it would turn out. Infact, thanks to the incredible work of Joe, we ended with a timetable that contained a whopping 656 services, the second most behind London Commuter, and from having played it myself, it delivers so much more from what you expect out of a London Underground route. But I'm not here to talk about that. In fact, that's not what I even care about right now. As much as it's great that this route finally delivers on what you would expect out of a route like this, the real reason I was excited about this timetable was the possibility that the WCML portion of the route was going to have AI services running on it, as it was seemingly hinted quite a few times during the build up to it. I was already confirmed that there was going to be some static stock placed at Willesden Junction, but the question is, did we see AI services on the WCML portion? and if you've already had a go with the new timetable, you'll exactly know what the answer is... But before I really get into this, I just need to say this... *WARNING* This thread will contain spoilers about what is in the new Bakerloo timetable. If you haven't played with it yet, and you don't want to know right now, then click off this thread until you've actually had a go with the new timetable. Now for those who are still here... It is true that AI services have been added to the WCML portion of the Bakerloo Line. They mainly consist of intermodal freight services using the Class 66 and FKA Container wagons from Great Western Express. From what I've been able to gather so far, these services run the entire length of this portion from Queen's Park to Harrow and Wealdstone. There's a possibilty that some of these services might take different paths or come into/out of the route at different points (like the North London Line heading towards Gospel Oak, but I'll need to dig more into this route before confirming that. But overall, this was about what I expected the AI traffic to consist of here. Maybe if London Commuter came with a Class 377/2, then I may have appeared here too, but until we actually get appropriate WCML passenger stock, this is about as much as we are getting here. It's an interesting thing to look out for while exploring this area, and I'm actually curious as to how many of these services there actually are here, and whether there are any different paths that these services take, or whether they just do the same path all the time. Maybe that's something that Joe knows more than we do. But onto what is the fun part, the static stock placed along this part of the route. Starting with Willesden Junction, as that was one area that was confirmed to have static stock placed there. But the big question here is, what is that static stock? The answer is the following. Static Stock No. 1: Two GWR HST power cars coupled back to back Static Stock No. 2: Class 09 from WSR (Very similar to what can be found at Lovers Walk Depot on London Commuter). Static Stock No. 3: Two rakes of Mk2 coaches parked next to each other Static Stock No. 4: Line of Class 47's, parked next to a rake of Mk2 coaches So yeah, that was Willesden Junction, and this just set's the ton for what you might expect with static stock on this route and is simply, expect the unexpected. As you never know what you might encounter next here. Moving to an area that I didn't actually expect to see anything placed here, and that is the Logistic's depot that was originally going to serve HS1 and the Channel Tunnel. There is actually stock placed here, mainly the East Coastway Class 66 and the accompanying JNA wagons. Just further on is the Princess Royal Distribution Centre, which has two pairs of Mk1's BG rakes parked outside, mainly representing old TPO stock that's stored in this siding. Then comes probably the best of this area of the route, Wembley Yard. Probably the most populated area when it comes to static stock, as this area is filled with the JNA and HKA wagons from GWE and EC alike. Plus, there also these two freight trains waiting in the siding here when I visited. But hidden among those JNA/HKA wagons is probably the best piece of static stock that I've ever seen in any TSW route out there. It's this diesel locomotive, here a Class 31 (But I have seen a Class 20 & 37 in it's place aswell). In tow, are two Mk1 BG's sandwiching... ...a Class 375 from SEHS. This is probably representing a unit that's being taken away from refurbishment, but it's these details that I absoulety love. What's more, because it's so far away from the route, that unless you broke through the invisible walls to get to this area (as I did to get these pictures, as these areas are usually blocked off) you'll probably never know that this even existed to begin with. One more thing before ending is that even though it's not located on the WCML portion, in Stonebridge Park Depot are these 1972 Stock consists that have been cut almost in half, leaving the unpowered DM Mark 1 part of the consist visible. One last image of another half-consist, looking out towards Wembley yard. That's concludes this tour of everything that has been placed, or is now running along the WCML portion of the Bakerloo Line, and I have to say, I love what Joe did here. The AI services were what I expected them to be, but the variety of static stock here not only contains so many unexpected surprises, but also really helps bring this area of the route to life alot more. It may not be entirely what this area is actually like in real life, but like I said earlier, until we actually get appropriate WCML passenger stock, this is about as good as we are going to get here, and what we got is certainly far superior to what was on the old timetable or even the 1938 stock timetable, which was nothing at all. However, with all that said, I do feel like exposes one of the big weaknesses of this route, and I just have to put this out... ...It time to uncover these areas on the map. I've explained it more in this thread here, but the long of short of it is, these areas not being shown on this map was fine when nothing was placed/running on these parts, but now there is stuff place/running on these parts, it would be nice to know where all this stock is place more easily, as well as being able to keep track of AI services alot more easily. It can fun to uncover all this for the first time without all those tracks being put on the map, but after a while, I can be pretty difficult to tell where everything is at any given point, especially with the AI freight services. So maybe we should have a think about actually putting all the tracks that make up these areas on the map. I mean, if they did that for the extended Southeastern High Speed, then surely DTG could do the same for the Bakerloo Line here, as well as LGV Med while on that thought. Let me know if you found anything else around this area that I might have missed, because with the nature of this timetable, I'm sure that there might be some other surprise lurking out there right?
Also the Class 47 appears in the yard with the 375. i only have the 375 sat in the yard at the moment as I dont have all the stock (as I'm a poor PS5 user lol). Hentis
I agree with the point that it would be nice to have the WCML part of the mark visable on the map. Maybe a mod could enable this?
I want to come back here because I found out the WCML isn't the only area that has AI services running on it now. There's also the Dudding Hill Line that crosses over both the WCML and the Bakerloo Line, located at the eastern end of Harlesden station. On one occasion, I found a Class 66, hauling a rake of JNA's heading north at around 10:05 (From East Coastway of course, as this timetable was made pre-TSW3) and I was able to get this shot of it going over, just as a Bakerloo Line train was going under at the same time. Maybe not the best shot here, but I think this perfectly summaries the new timetable here, and I can't wait to see what over surprises it offers.
Yes have seen that. I tend to stand opposite the bridge (Road bridge behind me just before Harlesden Station coming from London). Have seen various 66's (including livery created ones) hauling MFA's, HKA's and JNA's Also keep an eye out on SEHS on the NLL around 0450 there is a top and tail 37 go East to west with a rake of NTP coaches. Also at some point a 66 on empty BYA Steel wagons coming off the North London Line and crossing onto the ECML going North. Cheers Hentis Joe has said there are loads of secret services lol.
I've seen the loco line twice, and once it has a Class 20 in front of the 47s, so there might be some randomness to that as well, or perhaps they actually leave, and another line comes in?
